Roseanne
by miss-valvedes
Summary: Who is Roseanne? Why does Lilly have a box with her items in her closet? Set right after episode 3.10: Frank's Best. Disclaimer: I don't own any of the carachters of Cold Case
1. Chapter 1: A box and a picture

Chapter1: A box and a picture.

When Lilly came home that night she felt sad and a bit angry because of what the baby found at the police station had made her remember. She opened the drawer of cupboard that was standing in the hall. She took a picture on which we could see a young woman lying in a hospital bed holding a newborn in her arms. She began to cry but there was no one around to comfort her. She put the picture where she had found it. She thought that never again she would be able to feel this love between a child and his mother like she had once experienced.

She then went to her bedroom and looked at herself in the mirror: her skin was even paler than usual and her eyes were surrounded by a blue circle, a sign that she didn't sleep very well the past nights. Her bed was undone, the lilac sheets were on the ground, and the room was a total mess, something unusual for her, detective Lilly Rush, the most meticulous person her partners knew.

She went to the closet and opened it. She searched for a few minutes, and then found what she was looking for: a shoe box on the top of which the name "Roseanne" was written. Inside there were some newborn clothes, a pink rabbit and sonograms. She didn't exactly know why she had needed this now because it had been a long time since she had looked inside of it for the last time. Maybe it was seeing this child whose mother had left on the street just because she hadn't any babysitter.

She was still thinking as she heard the doorbell ringing throughout the apartment. She wondered who was disturbing her at this time except one of her work partners. When she opened the door she saw Valens standing there. It was then that she realized she was still crying, her eyes were red and puffy and her whole make up hiding her hurt face was gone.

-Hi Lil! he said warmly

-Hello Scotty, she answered, what brings you here?

-You seemed upset at work; you were acting odd right before you left.

-Come in, maybe I can get you some coffee.


	2. Chapter 2: Children

Chapter 2 : Children.

Scotty nodded and entered his partner's apartment, which was very well maintained for a woman who was very busy and who spent most of her time at work.

-Lilly, tell me what's wrong everyone, including Vera and Jeffries has noticed you were acting weird. I won't repeat it if it's what you're afraid of.

-No, Scotty, I assure you that everything is as normal as possible; I'm just a bit tired. she said trying to reassure him.

-Ok, if you're absolutely sure it must be true. he answered not convinced at all.

They both went into her living room and took place on the couch, being careful not to sit on a cat.

-I was going to forget your coffee. she said rising and moving towards the kitchen.

She came back five minutes later holding two hot coffees and she sat back next to her colleague, determined not to show him how upset she was. She was still thinking about this mother who had left her child alone in front of the police headquarters earlier that day. A working day was it worth the life of a child? Lilly didn't think so; she would have done everything she was able to to find a solution, but giving up a child was no answer to a problem.

-Have you ever imagined having children? she asked him

-No, but maybe some day I'll find someone with whom I'll want to have some. What about you?

His question was embarrassing because if she told him she didn't want children she would have lied, but if she said him she already had one it would bring more questions. Nevertheless, wasn't it what she desired, to be finally able to talk about that with someone?

-I don't think I'll have one again some day. she answered

-Again?! Do you mean you've a child?

-I had one, but she died two days after her birth. Her name was Roseanne.

_Now that you know who Roseanne is, it'll bring Lilly to be involved personally in a case._


	3. Chapter 3: The story

Chapter 3 : The story ;

Lilly had said that really calmly and someone who didn't know her could have thought she didn't care about her deceased child but Scotty knew her better that that. He had guessed that she was still deeply hurt though she hadn't told him how old she was at the time. That's why he was very surprised when he saw that she wanted to tell him how it had happened.

-It was my last year in high school, I had a boyfriend with whom I was really in love, I would have done whatever he'd have asked me and we slept together a few times. He dumped me for a cheerleader two months before graduating. I discovered three weeks later that I was pregnant. I decided to keep the child because feeling I had to take care of someone else than me made me become a whole person. I was lucky it didn't show fast so I could finish the year without being forced to tell anyone, and then I left home in July. I found a shelter for young mothers or mothers to be where I stayed for six months, until Roseanne's birth.

She stopped telling her memories and Scotty could see it was painful for her to remember, her face seemed like beaten and she was almost crying only retaining herself because her partner was there.

-Lilly, you can stop if you want to, you don't need to bring all that back. said Scotty beginning to ask himself why he hadn't stopped her earlier.

-No, I'm fine, let me end the story. The day she was born I think I hadn't been happiest than that in my whole life, she gave me happiness and from this moment she was my only reason to live. The doctors had decided to keep me two more days to be sure everything was ok. The day I day should have been able to go out of hospital with Roseanne, she was found death in her crib probably sudden death of the infant. I let the hospital take care of her unreal if they've given her and other people who also lost a newborn there told me to charge the hospital, so did I but I don't think they found something, I ran away before they even told me the results of the autopsy.

When she ended her story she seemed not to be in her apartment anymore, but in the hospital on that day, her eyes weren't shining and her look was empty like someone who's been given too much medicine. The only think Scotty did was hold her close in is arms and wait if she had something more to say. They stayed like that for what seemed hours, he finally decided to talk.

-Lilly, do you want me to go? I think you need some sleep and you won't be able to do it if I'm here. Maybe you should take the day off tomorrow.

She went to bed trying to comfort herself. Tiredness finally won the battle and she fell in a dreamless sleep.

_Sorry I didn't update earlier but I had a lot of things for school when I came back from vacation. I don't know how many chapters there will be but the story will end someday. I hope you'll like this chapters and I'm very pleased when I get your reviews. I think you've noticed that English is not my mother tongue but I'm trying my best to improve (it's only my third year of English at school). I can already say that Scotty and Lilly won't end up together in this fic, because I think it wouldn't be appropriated here._


	4. Chapter 4: The case

Chapter 4 : The Case.

Nearly two weeks passed after these events until one morning, when Lilly hadn't arrived yet; a woman arrived wanting to see Detective Rush about a 15 year old case. Instead she got Scotty and explained him what this was about: in 1991, 18 infants were found dead in the nursery of St-John Hospital in Philadelphia. The woman who came was in fact a nurse at that hospital and she had noticed there had been a few suspect deaths in the past six months in the same nursery after a 15 year break.

After the nurse left, Scotty searched for his boss and told him about the case. Stillman assigned the three in the search of new evidences and of the cases. Jeffries finally found a box in the basement with the right files. He then brought it back upstairs and they began reading.

-18 deaths of healthy babies in the same hospital in less than a year in our country, don't you think it's a bit suspect? asked Vera to the others

-What were the causes of death? said Jeffries

-In all the cases it was sudden death of the infant on children with no respiratory problems or something like that.

-Did parents charge the hospital?

-Most of the time, yes, in fact more than the half but there weren't any pursuits. answered Scotty

The boys then began reading each folder separately until they found the last, from the month of December that was titled "Roseanne Mary Rush; born: 12/02/91; deceased: 12/04/91". It was Vera who opened it and the others soon saw his face turn white/grey when he read the name of the mother "Lillian Rush".

-Do you think it's our Lilly? he asked

-Look at the date of birth. answered Jeffries

Scotty knew it was their Lilly but wasn't decided to tell it to the others fearing her reaction if she learned it. He didn't want to hurt her more, so it was the kind of subject to avoid or it could have really big consequences. He also wondered why she hadn't arrived yet because she usually was the first of them at work. Maybe she was sick or she had an appointment somewhere.

_I know I'm not really fast in writing this fic, but I have a lot of homework and I've just come back of a trip to Rome with school. I'm sorry if I don't answer the reviews but I don't have much time, even for my book, which is one of my priorities, so I'm extremely busy._

_Roseanne's date of birth is in fact mine but I didn't have much idea._


	5. Chapter 5: Where is Lil?

Chapter 5 : Where is Lil ?

At the same time the other agents were working on the case, Lilly was slowly waking at her apartment; she got up and went to the bathroom to take a long hot shower.

2O minutes later, she was back in her bedroom to dress herself. She chose black pants and a white shirt, almost the same outfit she was wearing everyday at work.

She checked her voice mail before leaving home; she had two messages, both from Stillman who was wondering where the hell she was. Maybe she should have warned she'd be late, but she'd be joining them at the police station in two hours, after the doctor's appointment she had at 10:30. It was just routine but she didn't like telling about things so personal or that may suggest she was as weak as everyone.

Back at the station:

-It's nearly 11:00 and Lil hasn't showed up yet; where the hell is she? Stillman kept repeating that throughout the station, maybe thinking she'd be coming faster that way.

-We got 20 kids death, including her _supposed_ child and that's the day she chooses for being late, she's got to have a good reason and not something like "I didn't hear the alarm-clock this morning"! This time it was Vera who was complaining.

In the middle of them, Scotty was thinking; if she was sick she'd have taken the day off, another explanation was that something happened, but she was more likely to have forgotten to warn them she'd late due to some kind of appointment.

She finally showed up around noon, when no one was expecting her anymore.

-What've we got today? She asked

Her colleagues were trying to figure how to tell her. It was Stillman who reacted first.

-Lilly, would you come to my office?

She followed him inside.

-Why do we need to go here?

-The case we're working on has some kind of connection with you, we think.

He gave her the manila folder and her face turned white as she read what was written; Stillman nearly thought she was going to collapse.

_This chapter was maybe longer than the others but I've waited a long time to write it. I don't know yet how I'll continue the story but if you have any boys/girls name you like, please just send it (I don't know yet if I'll use them in this fic vut it can be useful and don't forget: r&r). _


	6. Chapter 6: Connexions

Chapter 6 : Connexions.

When he had handed her the file, Lilly had wondered why he had taken her inside his office, but as she read the name on the folder she understood. She felt like she had been stabbed in the chest and she looked in disbelief at her boss hoping that he would tell her right away what this was all about.

-Lilly I've some things to ask you if you don't mind.

She didn't want to argue with him especially now, but she wasn't quite sure if she was even ready to answer him yet. On the other hand, if it was something involving her like she thought it was she had to tell him everything as she had already done with Scotty, staying speechless like now wouldn't be useful.

-Okay, I don't think I even have the choice anyway. she finally replied.

-I'm glad you accepted. So, it seems we have found a connexion between you and a cold case that's being reopened after similar deaths at the same hospital over the past six months.

-If you mean Roseanne by "connexion", then yes, my daughter died 15 years ago two days after she was born. I didn't sue the hospital because I couldn't afford a lawyer; I had barely enough money to buy food! When I got out of hospital I went looking for a job, I became a waitress till the end of July and in September I enrolled at university thanks to a scholarship. I don't know how much my life would have been different with her and never will.

Lilly was more annoyed by his question than angry at him and she knew he had to ask, he wouldn't have either way. Maybe she shouldn't have been that aggressive in her answer but she didn't want to think of her daughter as a "connexion".

Stillman was stunned by the way she had replied, he had rarely seen her that way. It was clear that she had still problems to deal with that and he would have preferred not to be obliged to question her, but with her involved he'd have had to interrogate her like every victim's family.

-I guess it isn't easy for you but I wouldn't want you to be pissed at me, I'm doing my job, our job, and I can't imagine how I'd be if it was my daughter who had passed away. I won't say I understand, I can't because I haven't lost a child but I'd appreciate your help on this if you feel ready to work on her case. he had tried to choose his words carefully, he didn't want to make more damages than what was already done.

-You want me to work on this? Interrogate parents who, just like me, want their child to rest in peace, tell them we'll do as much as we can when I don't believe I can go through this again? But, you know, I think I'm up the job because the chance, as thin as it is, exists that we find the person who did that, to put him or her in jail so we can all have closure.

-You can start working on the files, but I think it would be better if you didn't have any contact with the families, it could avoid some unwanted mistakes if you lost your temper.

_This chapter finally came after weeks of thinking. Hope you'll like it. Reviews make my day._


	7. Chapter 7: Suspects

Chapter 7 : Suspects.

Lilly immediately began working on the case, trying to establish a connection between the old deaths and the new ones. The victims, as she tried to call them, had nothing in common, there were boys and girls, black and white, from poor and rich families, they weren't even delivered by the same doctor.

After hours of researches, she found something that could explain the 15 years gap between the two waves of deaths, a cleaner convicted for the murder of his brother-in-law. He had had his job given back when he had gotten out of jail because the hospital had thought it would help him to build a new life. Lilly then called Vera and Jeffries because she didn't want to confront a suspect, the man who had maybe killed her daughter.

The two detectives came back to the headquarters nearly three hours later with no more than they already had.

-Lilly! Jeffries called, trying to make contact with the young woman who was still reading files, as usual.

-Found something interesting? She asked him

-I don't think he did it; he may have killed his brother-in-law, but not children. I'm not saying we should forget this lead, but perhaps try to find something else.

Scotty interrupted this little meeting to tell them he had discovered that the hospital had video cameras to keep an eye on the nursery.

They had been watching the tapes for hours when suddenly, Lilly gasped as she saw a younger self approaching the nursery. Her colleagues didn't say a word, but they had noticed her strange reaction when the blonde woman had appeared on the screen.

It was getting late when they finally saw something interesting: a doctor approaching Roseanne at her supposed time of death. They compared that with the other children and there weren't any doubts that this man had something to do with the killings.

After a checking what was this doctor's specialty, it appeared he was a surgeon, so he shouldn't have been in this ward of the hospital, except if he had a child there and that wasn't the case, he became thus suspect n°1.

The detectives went home because it was really late, having decided to interrogate the man the following day, anyway, he wouldn't disappear during the night since he didn't know they suspected him.

When Stillman saw Lilly leaving, he went after her because he had to talk to her.

-I know that you really want this guy to be punished for what he did, but if you do something unprofessional, I'll be forced to take disciplinary measures because this guy is a very respected and renowned doctor. You understand?

-Yes, but I want your word that you'll catch him whatever happens, even if you receive a call that you don't want to receive, if you see what I mean.

-I think I can do that for you because you, the detectives, are a bit like my children.

_I think there'll be one more chapter and an epilogue. I already have ideas for other fics (I think the next one will be a one-shot). I really want to thank those who have read and those who reviewed. I know they found really quick who the "bad guy"__ was, but I'll write a lot more about his reasons._


	8. Chapter 8: Closure

Chapter 8 : Closure.

The following day, Stillman sent two of his detectives, Vera and Jeffries, interrogating the suspect n°1, Doctor John Richmond, surgeon at St John Hospital in Philadelphia.

The two arrived at the address they had found, and what they saw was a huge mansion, probably inherited from a rich family, because, even if a surgeon earned a lot of money, he wouldn't be able to buy such a house.

They rang at the door and it was a maid who opened the door.

-Is Mr Richmond home? Vera tried to say as politely as he could.

-He's just back from work, you're lucky. May I ask you who you are? The maid was totally unaware of what the detectives could want with him.

-Detectives Vera and Jeffries, Philadelphia PD.

-I'll lead you to him.

They entered the house and they found themselves in a huge entry hall in marble, they then climbed the stairs, in marble too and they finally arrived in front of the mahogany door of the office.

-Mr Richmond, two detectives want to see you.

-Thanks Maria. You can leave us.

-Nice house, Doctor, I didn't know surgeons were that well paid.

-We're here about the murders that happened in St John Hospital's nursery.

Jeffries tried to be as well educated as he could, but coming with Vera wasn't the best to interrogate that kind of man.

-I heard about these deaths, such a horrible story. I can't even imagine how desperate the families were.

-We have a suspect, now, thanks to the surveillance cameras. Would you like to know who it is? Jeffries asked him.

-Of course, I want to know who did that.

-Doctor Richmond, you're under arrest for the murders of 25 newborns in the hospital's nursery.

They brought him back to the station where Stillman asked to perform the interrogation with Lilly, even if it was risky, not knowing how she would react.

-Lilly? Stillman called her.

-Yes, boss, what's up?

-You'll come with me to question suspect n°1, but no hitting, ok?

-Ok.

They both sat down in the interrogation room, waiting for Richmond to be brought. Vera finally arrived with a handcuffed Richmond who was claiming his innocence.

-We know you killed them, the video shows it, what we want to know now is why?

-Why? They couldn't exist, not while my wife and I weren't even able to have one, we tried everything, nothing worked and seeing these smiling young mothers holding their kid was just too much. Some of these girls weren't even adults, they didn't deserve a child!

That was too much for Lilly, she couldn't take that anymore.

-Obviously, you don't know how it's like to lose a child who was the chance for you to prove that you weren't only a piece of trash, that you could do something really amazing! It ruined my life at the time and that's one of the reasons I became a cop, to find and convict bastards like you!

Now, Lilly was shouting and Stillman had to do something to impede from making a mistake that could cost her career, so he got up and took her out of the room. He then asked for Richmond to be taken to a cell.

-Lilly, stop it! We have the truth now! You're giving closure to all these families, including you; I'm proud of you. Now, go home and take some sleep. We'll see you tomorrow?

-Yeah, of course.

That night, before going to bed, Lilly took the box from her closet and the picture from the cupboard, she then looked again through all that and put the picture on her nightstand.

She decided that it was time to move on with her life and to admit what had happened but without trying to forget it.

_This could have been the last chapter but I decided I'd write an epilogue, just so Lilly would be how I'd want to see her._


	9. Chapter 9: Epilogue

Epilogue.

**2 years after the Richmond case**

Lilly Rush was sitting on her bed, holding her two-month old daughter, she remembered the time where all she had was her job, but some time after closing Roseanne's case, she had filled adoptions papers and 18 months later, she was finally allowed to adopt a child. Then, there was this pregnant woman, unable to take care of a child, who was giving her child up after the birth.

Lilly had been at the hospital the day her baby was born and when they had let her hold the newborn, silent tears had begun falling down her cheeks, but now, back in her house, two months later, she felt right into all the motherhood stuff. She was glad to have had a second chance for being a mother and promised herself, her little girl wouldn't be hurt.

-Mommy loves you, Isabelle, she always will, whatever happens.

Little Isabelle Roseanne Rush looked at her mother with bright emerald eyes. She didn't look at all like with her green eyes and brown hair, that was quite normal, but they were happy together and that was all that mattered.

At that moment, in that place, life was perfect for both of them. They had found what they needed, for one, a child to love, for the other, a loving mother…

_I didn't think I would finish this story, but I made it and this epilogue was very important to me, __it showed how closure could be relieving for Lilly and that she could find happiness without needing a husband or a boyfriend._


End file.
